Sunday, 29 June 2014

I watched Persuasion 2007 last night and it prompted me to search for the quote from Persuasion, which seems to be my favourite Austen book after all. The quote is from Volume II, Chapter V, when Anne was about to visit her friend Mrs Smith at Westgate, and her "darling" father made a gigantic protest out of it for fear it would pollute the air of Camden Place, as Lady Catherine de Bourgh would no doubt put it.

"Westgate-buildings!' said he; "and who is Miss Anne Elliot to be
visiting in Westgate-buildings?--A Mrs. Smith. A widow Mrs. Smith,--and
who was her husband? One of five thousand Mr. Smiths whose names are
to be met with every where. And what is her attraction? That she is
old and sickly.--Upon my word, Miss Anne Elliot, you have the most
extraordinary taste! Every thing that revolts other people, low
company, paltry rooms, foul air, disgusting associations are inviting to
you. But surely, you may put off this old lady till to-morrow. She is
not so near her end, I presume, but that she may hope to see another
day. What is her age? Forty?"

Well, thank you, Sir Walter, for suggesting that life is no more for a forty years old woman. I am very grateful that I live in the 21st century where we women enjoy not only a more equal education and opportunities, but also freedom to thrive and reach for our dreams in our forties. In fact, I am forty years old now, and I enjoy being at my current age.And I'd like to know what Sir Walter would say had he had the honour to meet our dearest Linda, who is still galloping around the USA despite being much older than him. Linda dearest, what would you say to dear Sir Walter if you have the "honour" to meet his modern version?...I'm sure you will give him a good piece of your mind.

Wednesday, 25 June 2014

I have recently been doing an introduction to counselling course and it has been really eye-opening for me personally. We have covered very basic principles such as active listening and questioning but becoming conscious of these things and how we use them in everyday interaction has become really interesting.

I chose to look at communication in relation to some of our favourite novels and I was considering which characters are best to quote. My first is Lydia Bennett as she always has made me chuckle at her inability to listen and her total inappropriateness in communicating. The second quote is a favourite extract on this blog - the letter from Frederick Wentworth to Anne Elliot in Persuasion.

From Pride and Prejudice Chapter 39 Lydia Bennett is talking to Jane and Elizabeth and demonstrating her total lack of tact and comical communication.

``Now I have got some news for you,'' said Lydia as they sat down to table. ``What do you think? It is excellent news, capital news, and about a certain person that we all like.'' Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other, and the waiter was told that he need not stay. Lydia laughed, and said, ``Aye, that is just like your formality and discretion. You thought the waiter must not hear, as if he cared! I dare say he often hears worse things said than I am going to say. But he is an ugly fellow! I am glad he is gone. I never saw such a long chin in my life. Well, but now for my news: it is about dear Wickham; too good for the waiter, is not it? There is no danger of Wickham's marrying Mary King. There's for you! She is gone down to her uncle at Liverpool; gone to stay. Wickham is safe.''

The next quote is the perfect love letter from Frederick Wentworth to Anne taken from Chapter 23 in Persuasion. I used this for a valentines quote this year but I love it so using it again! Our other references on the blog have omitted the first line but this time its the most pertinent part related to communication. As part of the counselling training we have had to do numerous role plays just active listening with no use of language, it is so difficult, but incredibly effective to nurture a person to speak. Frederick Wentworth is feeling the frustrations of not being able to say what he is thinking and in this scenario it is magical when he does.

“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W."

Monday, 16 June 2014

This Sunday, June 15, is Father's Day here in the U.S. So in honor of all of our Fathers, I will quote Jane on dear Mr. Bennet.

We begin in Chapter 1 of "Pride and Prejudice" where Mr. Bennet is rather "put out" as Jane would say. There is some "give and take" about Netherfield and its new inhabitants when Mrs. Bennet says:

"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way! You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves."

Mr. Bennet answers:

"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least."

In the last chapter, 61, he takes a turn for the better with this opinion after his 2 oldest daughters are married:

Mr. Bennet missed his second daughter exceedingly; his affection for her drew him oftener from home than anything else could do. He delighted in going to Pemberley, especially when he was least expected.

And so it is with Fathers and Daughters. My Father was quite upset when I announced I was leaving home to live elsewhere after finishing college. Thank goodness, he did get over it.

Sunday, 15 June 2014

There's a movie I need to see before it disappears from my local theater. "Belle", directed by Amma Assante and featuring Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the main heroine. The movie is set in the 18th century Georgian England on the life of Dido Elizabeth Belle (1761-1804), the illegitimate daughter of Admiral Sir John Lindsay and Maria Belle, an enslaved woman of African origin. Dido Elizabeth Belle was in turn the grand niece of William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, who later became a Lord Chief Justice.

I've always admired Gugu after watching her in Lost in Austen and in a Marple episode (of which title I can't remember). I remember thinking about her in Lost in Austen, that she was an amazing actress, but it wouldn't be possible to see her in a period drama. And lo and behold, I was wrong. And I'm so happy I was wrong.But it returns me to Jane Austen, and how eerie is that Belle actually was Austen's contemporary. Belle was about the same age as Jane Austen when the former died (43 years old, Jane died when she was 42 years old). I wonder if Jane ever heard of the great niece of Chief Justice Murray. And would it be too far fetched to guess whether Jane's novel "Mansfield Park" was inspired by the Mansfields?

At any rate, it got me digging Mansfield Park to find a quote related to slavery. It's difficult to find a verbatim one; but I found this conversation between Edmund Bertram and Fanny Price:

[Edmund:] “Your uncle
is disposed to be pleased with you in every respect; and I only wish you would
talk to him more. You are one of those who are too silent in the evening circle.”

[Fanny:] “But I do
talk to him more than I used. I am sure I do. Did not you hear me ask him about
the slave-trade last night?”

[Edmund:] “I did —
and was in hopes the question would be followed up by others. It would have
pleased your uncle to be inquired of farther.”

[Fanny:] “And I longed
to do it — but there was such a dead silence! And while my cousins were
sitting by without speaking a word, or seeming at all interested in the subject,
I did not like — I thought it would appear as if I wanted to set myself
off at their expense, by showing a curiosity and pleasure in his information
which he must wish his own daughters to feel.”

Mansfield Park was published in May 1814, seven years after the Slave Trade Act in 1807. I am inclined to think that Miss Austen understood that slavery was still a sensitive topic at that time, hence her hidden messages about her anti-slavery views in Mansfield Park. Of that topic alone, some scholars have reviewed it rather extensively (see this for an example).

Monday, 9 June 2014

We seem to have a problem keeping up with our posts these days, and Icha asked us just this day, June 8, the following question when she sent us the roster for June and July: "7/8 June: God knows, anyone want to volunteer?" Well she inspired me with that question due to the fact that this Sunday, June 8, I am celebrating the Church holiday known as "Pentecost" with some friends and we are doing it on line. So, I determined to check to see if our Dear Jane used the word "God" in P&P, and sure enough, she did - 4 times. And here they are:

Two of them are sort of derogatory, as in Chapter 3: For God's sake, say no more of his partners.

And in Chapter 46: "Good God! what is the matter?"

The next 2 quotes are a bit more respectable, as in Chapter 24: I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reproach him with. Thank God! I have not that pain.

And in Chapter 35, my favorite: I will only add, God bless you. " Fitzwilliam Darcy."

Sunday, 1 June 2014

It’s almost presidential election day in my country, and many
people are in the election-frenzy (or busy ignoring it altogether). I opened
the Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy randomly just now, trying to find a quote
(we have been abandoning the site for a while). And the one that I found made
me smirk because election is always a frenzy to report, even back then in
1841...

Page 135

To his wife

Longford, 16th July
1841

We pulled up to-day considerably,
but still are beaten by a large majority, owing to the Roman Catholics, who
promised to vote for us or stay away, being brought up by the priests in spite
of their wishes and polled against A___, as well as from the number of
Protestants who were deterred from leaving their houses, by the violence and
intimidation of the Priests’ mobs. Thank God, we have had a comparatively quite
time with this town, owing to the providential circumstance of having a good
High Sheriff, and an effective military force, as well as police.

.... The election is virtually
over, but the Members can’t be declared until to-morrow evening. Henry White
has left this, and comparatively few have been in the town to-day. The poll as
just announced is: for Henry White, 613; for Luke White, 614; plumpers for
Lefroy, 480. On the whole, we have made a very noble fight, and we expect a few
more plumpers to-morrrow.

Welcome to "Becoming Jane" Fansite!

This site is co-managed by Icha and Rachel with materials from many resources, particularly supplied by Linda, our Associate Librarian, and our co-admin Mariana.

If you have any articles or information about Jane Austen, Tom Lefroy, or Becoming Jane (or even just to say hello), please email Icha and Rachel. As long as the content rhymes with our purpose to promote the movie and fandom, we will post it here happily. Also, please sign the Radovici Petition to reprint Radovici's book on Jane and Tom.

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About Jane Austen

Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire.In 1789 she wrote her first novel, Love and Freindship (intentional mis-spell), amongst other very amusing juvenilia. In Dec 1795/Jan 1796, she met Thomas Langlois Lefroy, an Irishman who would often be considered an important part of her life. In 1811, Austen's first novel Sense and Sensibility was published anonymously ('By a Lady'). Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 and received instant popularity. Despite her romantic novels, the writer herself never married. In early 1816, Austen suffered an illness (either Addison's or Hodgkin's Disease), and on 18 July 1817, she died at the age of forty-one in the arms of her sister, Cassandra, and was buried in Winchester Cathedral.

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Anne Hathaway’s skilful portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane shows that art can have as much power to bring us closer to the truth as facts themselves can.

Jon Spence, 4 December 2006, Becoming Jane Austen

I could certainly see why Jane would have been attracted to Tom Lefroy if he was anything like this portrayal by James McAvoy!

Sue Hughes, March 2007, Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine

McAvoy knew his portrait of Tom could only come alive with the right Jane, and he found Anne Hathaway almost supernaturally suited for the part. “I don’t think we could have chosen anyone better to play Jane Austen," he says.

Synopsis of 'Becoming Jane'

Jane Austen’s greatest love story was her own

It was at the end of 1795 when the young Jane Austen met the dashing Irish rogue Thomas Langlois Lefroy. Jane would not realise that from prejudice and innuendos between her and Tom, a fresh bud of passion would grow into love that would last for years to come, literally changing her way of looking into life and giving her new insights into her already blooming creative writing. Yet, Tom Lefroy was not a man of wealth, and thus his family needed him to find a more suitable partner than the last daughter of the Austens. Will reality defeat love, or will love triumph in Jane Austen’s life?

James McAvoy as Tom Lefroy, Jane Austen's Regency World Magazine March 2007

Source: the U.S. Official Site

‘I’m yours, Jane, heart and soul!’

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, ‘Becoming Jane’

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

Anything is to be preferred or endured rather than marrying without affection – JA, 18 November 1814

Source: BBC UK

Nothing can be compared to the misery of being bound without Love, bound to one, & preferring another – JA, 30 November 1814

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved...

‘Persuasion’, chapter 8, Jane Austen

If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more ...

Mr. Knightley to Emma in 'Emma', Jane Austen

Source: www.annie-hathaway.com

To be so bent on marriage, to pursue a man merely for the sake of situation – is a sort of thing that shocks me.

Emma Watson, the Watsons, Jane Austen

What value would there be in life if we are not together?

~ Tom Lefroy to Jane Austen, 'Becoming Jane'

Source: Tiscali website

'Irony is the bringing together of contradictory truths to make out of the contradiction a new truth with a laugh or a smile.'

~ Jane Austen, 'Becoming Jane'

Disclaimer

Becoming Jane Fansite is a non-profit site for Becoming Janefans, created to accommodate articles, news, pictures, reviews, fan fictions, comments, etc with regards to the beautifully exclaimed Miramax movie Becoming Jane and anything related to Jane Austen and Tom Lefroy. The site is NOT an official site of 'Becoming Jane' and hence not affiliated with the movie. Yet, we hope that the site helps to immortalise your love and passions to Jane Austen, Tom Lefroy, Becoming Jane, Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julian Jarrold and all crews and casts of the enchanting movie. The administrators reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments/messages.

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The film Becoming Jane has given us an image of Jane Austen that liberates our imagination. I envy readers of my book who come to it with Anne Hathaway’s image of Jane in their mind’s eye. You will not have to struggle against the image Cassandra created to see the Jane Austen who was young and pretty, lively and in love. Anne Hathaway’s skilful portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane shows that art can have as much power to bring us closer to the truth as facts themselves can.